David Bishop and the Legend of the Orb by T.C. Crawford (tools of titans ebook .txt) 📕

an undead army to help fuel his campaign and secure his position by force. We fear he has plans of building up his army and eventually trying to take over the remaining kingdoms. There’s more…we fear he has gained his powers from the Defiant One in exchange for his promise to help set him free from the Dark Abyss where he was sealed long ago, at the end of the Mystic Wars.”

This news brought agitated murmurs from the men. Captain Ryan spoke up first.

“We came across the undead soldiers during our encounter in the forest. At first they appeared to be normal soldiers who had defected, however upon closer examination we discovered they were the bodies of men that had been laid to rest, some of which were loved ones we had known our whole lives.”

The men all nodded in agreement, a haunted look on their faces as they recalled the carnage of the battle a couple of nights before. Captain Ryan continued.

“If the General has this kind of power, what can we do to stop him?”

Erin had slipped in only moments before to bring in a bowl of porridge and some water for Tyrius and the King, bowing slightly as she handed him his bowl “Your highness”, she said respectfully. He quietly thanked her before turning his attention back to the briefing.

“Our only hope to stop General Krauss and his powerful magic is David, the chosen one from prophecy who will lead us in this conflict.” replied Tyrius after thanking Erin for the much-needed nourishment.

“Where is this boy now?” asked one of the officers, bringing up a murmur from the others wondering the same thing.

“He is seeking help from the city-kingdom of Ravenfell, in hopes they will aid us in this conflict. They are our neighbors and have been at peace with us. What is in our best interest is also in theirs, as they are our closest neighbor, and if we fall, soon they will fall as well.” replied Captain Ryan, filling in the gaps for Tyrius. He had much to catch up on.

“Okay, so how does this boy have a chance against the General if he is in possession of magic from the Defiant One? He was the most powerful of all the Mystics!” answered Sergeant Parker who was standing next to Captain Ryan. He had been an avid enthusiast of the Mystics and the legends that surrounded them, and he had read all too often of the destructive power the Mystic of Destruction had in his possession.

“David is the one from prophecy.” answered Tyrius. “He has been chosen by the orb and now wields its power. I will help him in whatever way I can, however, ultimately, he will be the only one who can stop the General now. I do not have the power to defeat such a foe. Not even the Elders in their great wisdom and strength were able to stand up to his black magic. I am afraid he is our only hope.” he finished.

“If what you say is true, Tyrius, then let us pray he convinces the people of Ravenfell to fight with us and makes haste down the mountain pass. We will need all the help we can get if we are to defeat the undead army and take back the city. Our forces have taken heavy losses from our last encounter. I don’t know if we would be able to endure a larger assault with our current numbers” said Sergeant Parker.

“Agreed. What we can do in the meantime is continue to prepare our soldiers for the upcoming battle, and when the time is right, make our march to the capital city to meet our foe head on and take back what is ours. If we can hold off the undead army long enough for David to get into the palace and take on General Krauss, then we may just have a fighting chance” replied Captain Ryan.

“How will we know when David has returned from the mountain?” asked Erin.

“I will know” replied Tyrius. “I will be able to sense the orb’s power as it comes closer. When I feel its presence, we will know that David has returned, with or without the army. Then we will make our way to the borders of the forest to meet the boy and face our destiny together.

“Alright soldiers. You know your task and the difficulties we will face. Go prepare your men the best you can so when the time comes, we will be ready to make our move!” said Captain Ryan.

“Yes Sir!” shouted the officers in unison, and one by one they began filing out of the command tent to go prepare their men for the most important battle of their lives.

Chapter XXVI

It had been nearly a day since David, Rex, and Orin left Ravenfell with its vast army and the descent down the mountain had been extremely slow.

Having to worry about the supply wagons was a stressful undertaking as the mountain pass had become more treacherous over the years since the young kingdom had become more independent from outside trade. Rex made a mental note that he would get the pass back up to proper condition and widen it so he could increase trade between his neighboring cities once this conflict was over.

As the companions made their way around a bend midway down the mountain pass, the isolated Mystic Mountain and its surrounding woods came back into view across from the grassy plains. The company could see the dark swirling clouds still hanging over the capital city in the distance and they all shared a determined look, knowing that was their final destination and the coming days would ultimately determine the fate of not only themselves, but the world as they knew it.

“Don’t think too much about it, kid.” said Rex, turning to David and seeing his somber expression. “You can only do what you can; the rest is out of your control. We will